COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- R.C. Slocum Monday was fired after 14 years as the football coach at Texas A&M.
The firing of Slocum, which has been rumored for weeks, was first reported by the Dallas Morning News.
During his tenure, Slocum, 58, has a record of 123-47-4, and was the winningest football coach in school history.
The newspaper report stated Slocum told his players about the dismissal during a team meeting at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
"It is with great sadness and disappointment that I learned today that I was being fired as the head football coach at Texas A&M," Slocum said. "We had a season where we lost several close games that could have gone either way and no one was more disappointed than me with our record. However, we have some really outstanding young men and I felt our future was bright."
Slocum entered the 2002 season ranked sixth in winning percentage among active coaches, and the Aggies perennially boasted one of the top defenses in the country.
However, A&M went just 29-23 the last four seasons, and finished 6-6 this year. The Aggies closed a disappointing season with a 50-20 blowout loss to archrival Texas.
Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates said he asked Slocum to step down and assume the role of special advisor to the president.
"Coach Slocum is one of the most respected and admired members of the Aggie family, and he has much still to offer the university," Gates said in a prepared statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with him to promote the interests of the university he loves so much."
"Although disappointed with Dr. Gates' decision, I do recognize that the university has the right to decide who coaches the team," said an upset Slocum. "I have spent 30 years of my life here and have deep feelings for Aggieland."
During his tenure at the helm, the Aggies won three Southwest Conference titles, one Big 12 Conference crown, and two Big 12 South championships. Slocum led Texas A&M to 11 bowl games, including five on New Year's Day.
He spent 16 years as an assistant at Texas A&M before taking over the head coaching duties from Jackie Sherrill in 1989, and also has been an assistant at Kansas State and Southern California.
Among the names already being mentioned as a possible successor are Alabama Coach Dennis Franchione, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, and former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie, the architect of Texas A&M's "Wrecking Crew" defense.
